As Energy Costs Rise, Community Solar Can Help You Save 

Just in time for the warm days of summer, energy costs are on the rise across the U.S.

If you’ve been looking for ways to save on your energy bills — either through conservation or efficiency measures, or by looking into a sustainable energy alternative — it might be time to consider community solar.

By taking part in community solar, you can experience guaranteed savings each month — possibly 10 percent on your electricity costs. Here, we break down how community solar works — and how participating can save you money.

What is community solar?

There are two ways you can benefit from solar energy: by installing a solar panel system on your property, or by taking part in a community solar project, through which you’ll enjoy the benefits of solar — both economic and environmental — without needing to install panels at home. Community solar is a great option for people who are unable to install solar panels on their roofs — whether that's because they don't own the property, aren't ready to make the investment in on-site solar, or don't have the right conditions to support a rooftop system due to shading, roof size, or other factors.

Take a look at the benefits of community solar:

1. Guaranteed savings (more on that below!)
2. No up-front cost for participants
3. No on-site installation at your home
4. Simple enrollment
5. Support of clean energy generation in your community

How you can save money with community solar

When you sign up to participate in community solar, you receive a credit from your utility for the electricity that’s produced by your portion of the solar array.

Here's how it works:

1. As part of a state incentive program, a company builds a large solar array that produces solar power.
2. The solar power generated by the array flows to the local electricity grid.
3. Community members sign up to reserve a portion of the energy that’s produced by the solar array.
4. Members receive a credit from their utility for the electricity produced by their subscription to the community solar project — and earn a guaranteed savings on their monthly supply costs.

For IGS Energy customers in Maryland, that’s a guaranteed savings of up to 10 percent on your electric bill each month.

Curious about how the billing process? Check out our article about solar bill credits and how they work.

How to find a community solar project

As of 2022, nearly 6 gigawatts of community solar have been installed in communities across the U.S. And as interest in community solar grows, more and more projects are coming online. To date, 41 states and Washington, D.C. have at least one community solar project online, and the U.S. is projected to add more than 6 additional gigawatts of total capacity in the next five years.

If you’re interested in community solar, but aren’t sure if it’s available near you, check out this resource from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

IGS Energy currently offers community solar in Maryland and Illinois. To learn more, reach out to the IGS Member Experience team at 888.441.9744 or [email protected].